Energy Production Up In Spite Of Obama, Not Because Of Him

Energy: The president is taking credit once again for America's increased oil and gas production. Just how stupid does he think even his low-information supporters are?

In a blog post last week, Jason Furman, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, and Gene Sperling, outgoing director of his National Economic Council, implied that White House policies have boosted domestic oil and gas production, and that in turn has pumped up the economy.

Second-quarter growth, they point out, was revised up to 2.5% from the 1.7% estimated previously.

All this, they add, is due to Obama's focus on energy independence that's "not just a critical national security strategy (but) also part of an economic plan to create jobs, expand growth and cut the trade deficit."

This is a recurring, though dishonest, theme with this administration. In early 2012 it claimed that "domestic oil and natural gas production has increased every year President Obama has been in office."

In 2011, you might recall, it said oil production "reached its highest level in nearly a decade and natural gas production reached an all-time high."

The implication, of course, is that the gains are due to Obama policies, and this time the White House took the claim up another notch by asserting oil output is at "its highest level in 17 years."

We don't dispute that fact. But the surge hasn't been due to Obama's policies; it's happened in spite of them.

The American Petroleum Institute, which has been frustrated by Obama's regulatory hurdles, responded to the White House's latest claim with these words:

"That we're producing more oil and natural gas despite current federal policy, not as a result of it, must be understood so we can make policy choices that help increase domestic energy — and job creation, economic stimulus and improved balance of trade."

API is no outlier. The Western Energy Alliance holds a similar view, arguing that the federal government "continues to erect obstacles to domestic oil and gas production."

Consider that when Obama took office in 2009, close to 100% of the outer continental shelf was open for offshore oil production.

It was only three years later when Rep. Doc Hastings, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, pointed out that less offshore acreage was available, while "total onshore acreage leased under the Obama administration in 2009 and 2010" was "the lowest in over two decades, stretching back to at least 1984."

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